From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Potential improvements for bonnet fasteners and radiator side plate mountings.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 112\3\ scan0060 | |
| Date | 30th March 1939 | |
| -2- Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/wym.{G. Harold Whyman - Experimental Manager}1/MH.{M. Huckerby}30.3.39. We would also like something similar to the 1939 Buick bonnet fastener or the "Amal" single action, double ended fastener for locking the side plates in position, instead of the utterly useless Delco distributor clips at present fitted. The clips are so situated that if they were strong enough to do their job they would be too hard to operate, and when weak enough to operate they just don't do anything, in fact on our present cars they are invariably found hanging loose. Our method of securing the front ends of the side plates to the radiator is very flimsy and calls for a better design. The radiator side strip which carries the bracket for locating the side plates is too flexible, and the stiffening stay at the top of the bracket is almost useless. The Rover people attach their front brackets direct on to the matrix body. With regard to securing the top panels to the side plates, we would again suggest the Buick or Amal fastener in place of the single centre fastener, as it would prevent the fidgeting of the top panels at the extreme ends. This is quite noticeable on both Bentley and Rover bonnets, and appears due to the present centre fastener causing the extreme ends of the top panels to turn up. We feel that a much better job can be made of this type of bonnet without fundamentally altering its design. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/wym.{G. Harold Whyman - Experimental Manager} | ||